‘Fantastic Four’ Pressure, Marvel’s Next Steps, and Kevin Feige’s Future
LIVE SHOW in Los Angeles on August 27. Tickets go live today at 10 a.m. PT. Click here for tickets!Matt is joined by Wall Street Journal entertainment reporter Ben Fritz to discuss how much pressure is on ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ for the next era of the MCU to succeed. They discuss some of the changes Marvel has made to combat superhero fatigue, Kevin Feige’s future, and whether Marvel or DC is better positioned to win the rest of the decade (02:50). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ (28:52).For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt Belloni Guest: Ben FritzProducers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie LopezTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
23 Heinä 35min
Colbert’s Next Home, and Netflix Earnings Flexes and Anxieties
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss what's next for Stephen Colbert, and whether Netflix could ever produce a successful late-night show. Then, they dissect Netflix's latest earnings report and highlight its strengths and weaknesses, including why the stock fell despite strong financial earnings, how concerning is its stagnation in the share of viewing metric, its use of AI in ‘The Eternaut’, and more (02:42). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the future of Fox amid Donald Trump’s latest lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal (25:12). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt BelloniGuest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie LopezTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
21 Heinä 32min
Colbert Is Cancelled. Is the Late-Night Dam Bursting?
Matt is joined by veteran late-night executive and producer Nick Bernstein to discuss CBS’s decision to cancel ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’—despite being the number one late night show on TV—and debate whether or not there was any political involvement, as Skydance is still looking for the FCC’s approval in a merger with CBS's parent company, Paramount Global. They also dive into the declining economics in all of late night, the CBS head George Cheeks’s other possible motives for firing Colbert at this moment, the future of late night, and more (03:07). Matt finishes the show with an opening-weekend box office prediction for ‘Smurfs’ and ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ (29:44). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here.Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt Belloni Guest: Nick BernsteinProducers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie LopezTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
19 Heinä 34min
The 2025 Emmy Nomination Awards: Winners, Snubs, and Thirstiest Campaigns
Matt is joined by Rebecca Ford, senior correspondent at Vanity Fair, to cohost The Town’s first Emmy Nomination Awards, the first awards show dedicated to nominations for an awards show. Matt and Rebecca give out awards like Biggest Winner, Sneaky Loser, Most Embarrassing Nomination for the Academy, Thirstiest Campaign, the “Enough Already” Award, Best Breakout Nomination, and more (01:45). Matt and Rebecca finish the show with predictions for Best Comedy Series, Best Drama Series, and Best Limited Series (23:37). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here.Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt BelloniGuest: Rebecca Ford Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie LopezTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
16 Heinä 32min
'Superman,' Marvel vs. DC, and the Studio Head Hot Seat
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the strong opening weekend for 'Superman,' talk about whether this movie is enough to kick-start a DC reboot, and revisit Marvel’s post-'Avengers' strategy as they look ahead to ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ and beyond. Later, they discuss the impressive and timely run of box office successes from the Warner Bros. movie studio and take a look at which studio heads are on the hot seat as we near the end of summer (02:15). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about AMC Theatres (23:10). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here.Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt BelloniGuest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie LopezTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
14 Heinä 29min
News and Deal Buzz From Inside Sun Valley’s Billionaire Summer Camp
Matt is joined by CNBC senior media and tech correspondent Julia Boorstin live from Sun Valley 2025 to discuss what we can expect from this year's summer camp for billionaires. Julia gives us the latest buzz on potential mergers, behind-the-scenes conversations about AI, the NFL's global plans, Linda Yaccarino leaving Twitter, and more (02:19). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the newly announced HBO sketch comedy show from Larry David and Barack Obama’s Higher Ground (26:17). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt BelloniGuest: Julia Boorstin Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie LopezTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
11 Heinä 32min
After a Historic Hollywood Tax Break, Is Moviemaking Coming Back to California?
Matt is joined by Joe Chianese of Entertainment Partners to unpack the new California tax bill, which will significantly expand the state's film and TV tax incentive, making California one of the most competitive states in the country for film and TV production. Joe helps us dig into the bill, what it actually means for film and TV productions, who benefits the most, who doesn’t, why this bill finally passed now, and whether this will spark a return to power for California in the film and TV production space (02:51). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Superman’ (25:27). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt BelloniGuest: Joe Chianese Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie LopezTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
9 Heinä 32min
Why the Paramount-Skydance Merger is "F*cking Up ‘South Park’"
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the standoff between ‘South Park’ creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker and Paramount amid the looming merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media. They break down the details of this public fight, why the new season of ‘South Park’ is delayed, and how the Trump-Paramount settlement could affect this situation (03:23). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about Jesse Eisenberg potentially returning for the sequel of ‘The Social Network’ (26:23). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie LopezTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
7 Heinä 32min
